Finavia has taken persons with disabilities needs into account in its terminal renewal. In the new terminal, accessibility has been ensured in cooperation with organisations for persons with disabilities, said Finavia in a statement release today.
Helsinki Airport’s development inclusive passengers programme which will be completed in summer 2023.
“Everyone must have equal opportunities to travel. Good accessibility solutions are not only important for special groups, but serve all passengers equally,” says Hanna Hämäläinen, Head of Passenger Services and Development at Finavia.
Every year, tens of thousands of passengers with mobility, vision or hearing, and older people are requiring special assistance to travel through Helsinki Airport.
“The new terminal is designed to make it as easy as possible for all passengers to move around. The distances have been kept as short as possible, everything is accessible with a wheelchair or other assistive device, the instructions are clear, and public transport is especially easy to access from the terminal,” says Nina Vainioranta, Service Manager at Finavia’s Assistance Services.
Finavia provides passengers with disabilities with services and assistance tailored to meet their needs.
“Our employees ensure that passengers can easily board their flight, get off the plane and reach the next means of transport. In practice, this can mean assistance with a wheelchair, for example, or with boarding the aircraft.”
In connection with the terminal renewal, Finavia opened a new assistance service point in Helsinki Airport departures hall. In addition, there are call points for assistance services at the airport, including in front of the terminal, at the train station, in the bus terminal and in the parking garages. At these points, the customer can contact employees who provide them with the necessary assistance.
In cooperation with airlines, the authorities and organisations for persons with disabilities, Finavia has ensured that the quality of assistance services and airport accessibility have been taken into account in the terminal renewal.
“Representatives of the Disability Council commented on the plans for the terminal renewal in advance. We used so-called virtual safaris to check together how everything would work. Based on the feedback received, we made major improvements in the final plans.”
